[FONT=arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning superstar who personified cool as an activist, race car driver, popcorn impresario and the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money," has died. He was 83. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]Newman died Friday after a long battle with cancer at his farmhouse near Westport, publicist Jeff Sanderson said. He was surrounded by his family and close friends. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]In May, Newman he had dropped plans to direct a fall production of "Of Mice and Men," citing unspecified health issues.

Gold Member

He was a wonderful actor. Butch and Sundance and Cool Hand Luke are two of my favourite movies. He was smokin' in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I can't actually recall seeing him in anything that I didn't enjoy.

Gold Member

Like legions of men and women around the world, I loved Paul Newman. Not just because he was so beautiful and a great actor, but because he loved and honored his wife and family. He respected the sanctity of marriage; which is something one doesn't often see in Hollywood or anywhere else.

I don't think I've seen even half of his films. My favorite is actually one he did many years ago with his beloved wife, Joanne Woodward. It's called A New Kind of Love. Doesn't matter what time it's on, I stop everything and watch it. IMO it's one of the best and most underrated romantic comedys ever made.

A New Kind of Love was nominated for Best Costume Design (Edith Head) and Best Musical Socre, Adaptation or Treatment (Leith Stevens). Joanne Woodward was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe.

VerifiedGold Member

Paul and Joanne were good friends with a friend and office colleague
of mine. My friend called me late one Saturday afternoon and said
that he was having them over for dinner and that his other guest had
the flu and couldn't make it. He asked if I would be kind enough to fill
in the misssing seat. I was highly honored, so of course I said yes.

My friend knew that since I was friends with a number of high profile
writers, actors, musicians, etc, that I was not prone to fawn all over
them, and I would not embarrass him and his guests.

That evening was delightful and will remain as a cherished memory.
Joanne asked me about my Southern accent and where I was from.
It was then we discovered we were from the same State and I had
visited relatives in her town who lived near were she lived as a child.
As the evening progressed our accents got heavier and heavier..:smile:

Not once did we discuss anything about acting, the movies, the theatre,
or Hollywood. We talked about cars (I had an English sports car at the
time....this was before Paul started racing), foods we liked, farming, and
our favorite vacation areas and trips, They both were so unasuming,
down to earth, and sweet, wonderful people.

Paul Newman will be sorely missed but never forgotten. My condolences
to his wonderful wife, Joanne, his daughters and family, and all his close
friends who will miss him the most.

Paul Newmans craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all. Paul had an abiding belief in the role that luck plays in one's life, and its randomness. He was quick to acknowledge the good fortune he had in his own life, beginning with being born in America, and was acutely aware of how unlucky so many others were. True to his character, he quietly devoted himself to helping offset this imbalance. An exceptional example is the legacy of Newman's Own. What started as something of a joke in the basement of his home, turned into a highly-respected, multi-million dollar a year food company. And true to form, he shared this good fortune by donating all the profits and royalties he earned to thousands of charities around the world, a total which now exceeds $250 million. While his philanthropic interests and donations were wide-ranging, he was especially committed to the thousands of children with life-threatening conditions served by the Hole in the wall Camps, which he helped start over 20 years ago. He saw the Camps as places where kids could escape the fear, pain and isolation of their conditions, kick back, and raise a little hell. Today, there are 11 Camps around the world, with additional programs in Africa and Vietnam. Through the Camps, well over 135,000 children have had the chance to experience what childhood was meant to be.R.I.P. Paul Newman.